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Archival description area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Morris Block was born in Winnipeg on December 24, 1929. He was educated in Winnipeg where he earned two undergraduate degrees at the University of Manitoba (Science and Engineering) and graduated at the top of his Civil Engineering class in 1955. In 1958, he started the engineering firm M. Block & Associates. His interests included the history of Winnipeg and Manitoba and he collected a wide variety of materials relating to these two themes.

Shortly after graduation, Morris Block married Clara. They had six children. Morris Block died in December of 1998.

Custodial history

The collection was gifted to the City of Winnipeg Archives in 2005 by Clara Block. Individual items were acquired by Morris Block over a period of time and through contacts with dealers and other collectors. Many items in the collection were originally framed. Frames were removed to facilitate transport, archival description and storage at the City of Winnipeg Archives. The collection was retrieved from the family cottage at Gimli, Manitoba in July of 2005 where it was on display. Block also collected material relating to the University of Manitoba. These items were gifted to the Archives and Special Collections program at the University of Manitoba.

Scope and content

The collection consists of material relating to Winnipeg and includes vintage photographs of local businesses, buildings and civic government employees, works and operations; stereoscopic views published by the T. Eaton Co. Limited, the Keystone View Company and Underwood & Underwood, Publishers; postcards of Winnipeg published by Henry Kalen Ltd., and Alex Wilson Publications Limited; line drawings and sketches extracted from various publications; maps and plans of the City of Winnipeg; publications including telephone directories for the City of Winnipeg and Report on a Future Water Supply for the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1897; ephemera including letterhead of local businesses, stock certificates, invoices, property tax receipts and statements, philatelic items (souvenir stamps created for civic events); miscellaneous artifacts including a souvenir ashtray, pin, sterling silver spoon, and coins.

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There are no restrictions on access to these records.

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Researchers are responsible for observing Canadian copyright regulations.